The message reads, in part:
“We have lost a real military officer, a comrade and a person of tremendous inner strength, bravery and courage whom we all held near and dear. For me, this is an irreparable personal loss. We were bound by many years of joint work. And I always knew that it was possible to rely on Yevgeny Zinichev in any situation, including the most difficult, as a reliable and loyal friend and a top-level professional.
He devoted himself to serving the Motherland and people. He did not hesitate to take a risk, while saving a human life, and he perished, while doing his duty to the end.”